I Thought You\\\'d Never Ask
by Miss Hermie
Summary: Hermione\\\'s looking for a date to the Yule Ball...


A/N:  I would like to extend my appreciation to Ron, for beta reading and also to Sara, for the helpful grammatical suggestions.

Hermione Granger woke up early one crisp December morning to find a fresh sheet of snow on the ground far below

Gryffindor Tower. Careful not to wake her roommates, she quietly opened the trunk at the end of her bed, pulled out her

clothes, and slipped into the bathroom to get dressed. After pulling on her Hogwarts' robes, Hermione gave her

reflection a determined look. "You're going to do it today." she told herself, "No backing out." With a firm nod, she spun

around and left as the sleepy mirror called after her "Of course you will, dear."

When Hermione entered the Great Hall for breakfast, she found it nearly empty. A couple of Ravenclaws were buried in

textbooks, a small group of Hufflepuffs sat silently. The Slytherin table was completely barren. Hermione realized as she

approached the Gryffindor table, there was only one other member of her hall there. "Neville, what are you doing here

so early?" 

The small, round-faced boy looked up at Hermione as she sat down across from him. A toad was sitting next to his water

goblet. "Oh, good morning Hermione. I woke up and Trevor was missing again. I went to look for him and when I went

to get back into the common room, the Fat Lady had left her portrait hole. It was almost time for breakfast, so I decided

to come here." 

"Well, she's back in the portrait now." said Hermione.

"Er…Hermione?" he asked sheepishly. "I…er…what's the new password? I forgot." 

"Oh, Neville!" Hermione smiled. Neville had always been quite forgetful, and a bit clumsy, but he was a good friend, and

Hermione was always happy to help him. "The password is 'Prima Luna'." Neville smiled, picked up his toad, and with a

quick "Thanks" left the Great Hall. Hermione smiled to herself, amused, as she tried to remember how many times Neville

had lost his toad over the years. Suddenly, she snapped herself out of it. "Honestly, Hermione! Back to the task at

hand." She began to rehearse the speech she had composed the week before. The ceiling, which was enchanted to look

like the sky, slowly changed from grey to a pale rose. "You're going to do it today," she muttered to herself. "You are

going to ask him and that's it. You're going to do it today." 

More people had begun to file into the Great Hall, but she didn't notice until a pair of hands grabbed her shoulders,

making her jump. "You're going to do what today?" Ron Weasley let go of her shoulders and took a seat to Hermione's

left. 

"Yeah, you looked pretty funny talking to yourself," said a voice on her right, as Harry Potter sat down. 

"I…I was just…revising for the Charms test today." Hermione stammered. "I'm going to pass it." 

"Well of course you are, Hermione," said Harry, smiling. "You've never failed a test before." 

"Oh no!" groaned Ron. "I completely forgot about it! Hermione, can I borrow your notes?" 

"Honestly, Ron!" Hermione said rolling her eyes as she dug through her bag and produced a roll of parchment, "What

would you do without me?" 

"I…er…I guess I'd fail" Ron stuttered, his ears turning slightly pink. Taking heart in this, Hermione suddenly took the

parchment back and said, "Oh, I just remembered—I left my notes upstairs. Come with me to the common room and I'll

give you the correct ones." 

"Couldn't I just get them later?" Ron asked, looking longingly at the eggs and bacon already on his plate, "I haven't

even touched my food." 

"No!" said Hermione sharply. Harry and Ron looked at each other, then back at Hermione. "No", she said again

nervously, her face flushing. "I—I'm…er…going back to the common room now, and I don't expect to be back until dinner." 

"But Hermione," Ron protested "you're always in the common room around lunchtime." 

"I have work to do in the library" she said shortly.

"Well…er…okay," said Ron, standing, more confused than ever. 

"Hermione--" Harry began 

"Yes, Harry?" she growled, through gritted teeth. 

"Er…are you alright?" he asked, furrowing his brow.

"I'm fine" snapped Hermione. "We're going now" she said to Ron who was standing uncertainly behind Hermione's chair,

a half-eaten piece of toast in his hand. Hermione rose from her chair, swung her bag onto her shoulder and they left the

Great Hall.

In the corridor, just outside the portrait hole, Hermione turned toward Ron, and grabbed his arm. "Ron?" Ron stiffened,

and Hermione let go, her hand falling to her side. 

"Yeah?" he said, cautiously, staring at where her hand had been on his arm. 

"I've…er…I've got a question to ask you." she said, her voice faltering. Ron's looked up from his arm to her face. "Well,

you know how the Yule Ball is coming up?" 

"Yeah?" said Ron, his voice raising in pitch slightly as he stepped back. 

"Well, I was wondering--" Suddenly the corridor was filled with students in the corridor. "Oh no! We're going to be late

for Potions!" Hermione cried as she pulled Ron toward the dungeons. 

They arrived just in time, red-faced and panting. Professor Snape, the potions master, glared at them as they took their

seats in the back of the classroom, Hermione trying in vain to smooth her hair, and Ron wiping the sweat from his

forehead with his robe sleeve. 

"What were you doing?" drawled Draco Malfoy, his voice heavy with suggestion. The Slytherins all laughed as Ron gave

Malfoy a hateful glare, cracking his knuckles menacingly. 

"Today, we are going to be creating a fire-repelling potion." Snape said. "I will be testing your potion at the end of class,

so I suggest you all pay attention, as the consequence of not is most…painful. " Snape's lips curled into a thin smile

while the students shifted around nervously. "The main ingredient in the fire-repelling potion is ovadraconis. Can anyone

tell me where it can be found? Mr. Weasley?" growled Snape. 

"Er…um…" Ron looked hopelessly around the dungeon. His eyes fell on Hermione, who was sitting impatiently with her

hand raised. 

"I see you find spending time with your girlfriend more important than studying, Mr. Weasley. Five points from

Gryffindor." Snape sneered. Ron turned very deep red, and Hermione lowered her hand as all eyes turned toward her

and Ron. 

"Mr. Malfoy, perhaps you can supply the correct answer?" Snape asked, turning toward his favourite student. Draco

turned, smirking at Ron and Hermione, toward Snape. 

"Sir, ovadraconis is found on the inside layer of a hatched dragon's egg. It heats keeps the dragon warm, while making

sure it doesn't get burned." 

"That is correct, Mr. Malfoy. Five points to Slytherin." The class took the notes off the blackboard and began to mix the

potion. Snape wandered around the classroom, praising the Slytherins and berating the Gryffindors. 

Why didn't you just spit it out?! Hermione thought as she added mandrake leaves to her ovadraconis. Glancing over at

Ron, she saw him scowl. Now you've ruined it! He's not going to accept. He's probably already going with someone else,

and now he's annoyed with you. Suddenly, she realized he was returning her stare, and she quickly averted her eyes,

and focused her attention on her potion. At the end of class, Snape returned to the front of the classroom and spoke.

"Now, we will see how many of you managed to successfully mix the potion. Place one hand into your potion." All of the

class followed his instructions, looking apprehensive. "Now form a line. If you mixed the potion correctly you will be able

to place your hand into the fire," he pointed to a large open flame at the front of the room, "without pain. If not, you will

be burned." he said, smiling nastily. " In that case, place your hand into the restoration potion", he said, pointing to the

cauldron next to the flame. "Weasley! You go first." Hermione watched anxiously as Ron stepped hesitantly toward the

fire. Tentatively he put his hand into the fire, his face turned away from the flame. The class awed in amazement as Ron

waved his hand around in the flame, and withdrew it with no burn. Snape scowled. As Snape barked out names,

students approached the front of the room trembling. Most were successful, but when Neville's turn came, he put his

hand in and pulled it out quickly, screaming and flailing his arms. Harry, who was next in line, was caught off guard by

one of Neville's arms, and went careening into a table full of cauldrons, knocking them over. The class became panicked

as Snape tried to restore order. Hermione managed to grab Neville's hand and thrust it into the cauldron containing the

Restoration Potion. 

"Can you do nothing right, you stupid boy?" said Snape trembling with fury, holding onto a cauldron. "20 points from

Gryffindor. Longbottom, both you and Potter will stay after class. The rest of you can go." The students gathered their

belongs and hurried out of the dungeon. 

"Hey, Hermione!" Ron called after her as they left Potions. "Hang on!" Hermione stiffened at the sound of her name. She

wanted to run and save herself from the embarrassment, but stood her ground. "So?" Ron asked. 

"So what?" she asked nervously.

"So what were you going to ask me?" 

"Oh, er…that?" Hermione said in a high voice. "I…er…I wondered if you…thought Harry and Ginny were going together"

she said quickly. That's not what I meant! she thought. 

"Oh, well…I suppose." replied Ron, his face falling. "Hermione?" 

"Yes?" said Hermione, her voice shaky. 

"Er…could I get those Charms notes from you?" 

Hermione nodded, disappointed. Harry emerged from the dungeon, looking harassed. 

"I have to clean the work cauldrons tomorrow." he said. "Are you going to lunch?" 

"No, I've got to get those notes from Hermione." Ron replied. 

"Well, I'll see you later." Harry called over his shoulder. The three friends parted ways-Harry heading toward the Great

Hall, Ron and Hermione climbing the stairs toward Gryffindor Tower. 

"That's so unfair!" exclaimed Ron angrily as he entered the portrait hole. "Snape's just sore because Gryffindor killed

Slytherin last week in the quidditch match." 

"Ron, I swear all you ever think about is Quidditch!" said Hermione, annoyed. 

"I do not!" Ron protested, his face flushing. They entered the nearly empty common room. 

"Well, what else do you think about?" Hermione stood with her hands firmly placed on her hips, her eyes narrowed. 

"Stuff." said Ron defensively. "Anyway, all you think about is school!" 

"Ron Weasley, you know that isn't true! I think about lots of other things" Hermione replied

"Like what? Viktor Krum?" Ron retorted, his face red.

Hermione stared open-mouthed at Ron. "This is ridiculous! Are you still sore about that!" she cried, not believing that he

was still upset she had visited Viktor during the summer. "Here are those Charms notes." she said hotly, pulling a scroll

from her bag and thrusting it into Ron's hands. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." Turning on her heel, she

left, slamming the portrait shut behind her. 

"Damn!" Hermione thought as she hurried down the staircase to the Great Hall. "Now he's sure to turn me down. This is

definitely not going according to plan." She hurriedly ate her lunch and spent the rest of her day avoiding Ron, practically

sprinting out of Transfiguration, her last class.

Hermione sat in the library, surrounded by homework, her mind once again clouded by doubts. "I just can't do it." she

sighed, resigned to the fact that she'd probably be attending the ball with Neville, once he finally got around to asking. 

"Can't do what?" said a voice behind her. Hermione jumped, startled, and spun around to find herself faced with Ginny

Weasley, Ron's younger sister. 

"Ginny!" said Hermione, relieved. "What are you doing here?" 

"I was going to see how you were doing, Harry and Ron seemed really concerned about you." Ginny replied, taking a

seat next to Hermione. 

"I was just talking to myself, don't worry, I'm doing fine." said Hermione, forcing a smile. 

"Are you sure?" Ginny asked skeptically. "Ron said you were acting strangely." 

Oh great! thought Hermione bitterly. Now he thinks I'm crazy. 

"I've just been under a lot of pressure." Hermione sighed.

"Well, at least there's the Yule Ball to look forward to." Ginny said.

"Yeah" Hermione said reluctantly, her eyes downcast. "I guess."

Ginny looked puzzled. "Didn't R--" she began, but stopped abruptly as Hermione looked at her wide-eyed.

"I've got to do something." Hermione said. She stood, gave Ginny a quick hug, hurriedly gathered her parchment, quill &

ink, shoved the items into her bookbag, and left the library. 

Head held high, Hermione entered the common room and, spotting Harry and Ron by the fireplace playing wizard chess,

strode over. She grabbed Ron's arm and pulled him out of his chair. 

"Hey!" said Ron, shocked that she was talking to him. 

"Excuse us, Harry." Hermione said curtly. 

"Hermione, what are you doing?! It's my turn!" Ron exclaimed as Hermione dragged him to an empty area across the

room. 

"Sit." she growled. 

"Where?" asked Ron as he looked around for a chair.

Annoyed, she dropped his arm and took out her wand, shouting "Accio, chair." A large red armchair flew across the room

and slammed into Ron's side. "There." she said, pointing.

"Listen, Hermione, I wanted to ask--" Ron stuttered.

"Shut up, Ron. I've been trying to say this all day and I want to get it out before I lose my nerve." Hermione said, her

hands on hips.

"But--" Ron protested weakly.

"Honestly, Ron! Are you trying to make this harder than it already is?!" said Hermione loudly, turning scarlet. The other

members of Gryffindor house were now staring at Hermione and Ron. Ron looked around, embarrassed. He shook his

head and shrank back in his chair. 

"Ron" said Hermione, regaining her composure. "Will you go to the Yule Ball with me?" There was a pause, and

Hermione's face fell. He's taking too long to answer. He's going to say no. Why did I even bother? "Of course, if you

already have a date, I'll understand, or—if you just--" she added hurriedly. 

"Sure" Ron mumbled, turning multiple shades of red and talking to his knees. 

"What?" Hermione asked, realizing Ron had spoken. 

"Sure." Ron repeated, this time looking at Hermione. The Gryffindor common room exploded in cheers and Hermione felt

a wave of relief sweep over her. 

"Er…Hermione?" Ron asked cautiously, afraid to get out of his chair. "Can I get back to my game now?" 

"Oh, Ron!" said Hermione, rolling her eyes, and smiling. 

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, they all belong to J.K. Rowling.


End file.
